Portable washer for mugs and steins



Nov. 22, 1966 'B. D. LINNE PORTABLE WASHER FOR MUGS AND STEINS Filed March 10, 1965 jib United States Patent 3 286,291 PORTABLE WASHER FOR MUGS AND STEINS Burton D. Linne, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Austin Continental Industries, Incorporated, Chicago, Ill. Filed Mar. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 438,518 Claims. (Cl. 15-76) This invention relates to a portable glass Washer in Which all scrubbing brushes are directly or indirectly connected to a central shaft in the glass washer, and the shaft is rotated by an outside electric motor.

The basic idea of a portable glass washer was disclosed in my co-pending patent application, Serial Number 426,825, filed January 21, 1965, now abandoned.

This invention is an important improvement to my aforesaid co-pending application in that it is designed to scrub clean steins and mugs which usually have handles and therefore require different scrubbing contact than drinking glasses require.

The sanitizing of drinking glasses, mugs and steins calls for the thorough cleaning and disinfecting of the lip areas of such drinking means. Frequently, the handle of a mug connects to the body of the mug right at or near the top edge or lip of themug. In contrast, however, the handles of steins may join the body of the mug near the top edge or any distance down the side of the stein, depending on the design of the stein. The location of the handle to the mug or stein requires a new design of brushes to scrub the outside of the top edges of mugs and steins.

To accomplish the complete scrubbing of the lip areas of mugs and steins I have shortened the wall of my brush tank which rotates inside the washer. This enables me to bend back the upper end of vertical brushes inserted in channels secured to' the inside wall of the brush tank. The metal-backed brushes are bent backwards from 25 to 30 from a vertical position and the bristles along the bent portion are longer than those along the vertical portion. These features will be more readily understood in the description of the accompanying drawings.

This special purpose washer is simple in construction and is usable wherever there is a source of electric current and clean water. The brushes are easilyremovable and replaceable.

Further advantages and features of the device of this invention'will be readily understood from a description of the device in the accompanying drawings in which- FIG. 1 is a side view of the portable washer and attached electric motor.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view in the elevation along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional, horizontal view along the line 33 looking down toward the base of the washer.

FIG. 4, a fragmentary section along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

In the drawings the portable washer is generally identified by numeral 5, and the electric motor 6 is attached to the washer by upper bands 7 and lower bands 8, which latter bands envelope the base of the washer 5, as shown in FIG. 1. i

In the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 2 are shown the outer tank wall 9, the inner brush tank 10 and the center drive shaft 11. The shaft 11 is rotated by means of a belt 12 running around a depending shaft (not ice shown) from the electric motor 6 and pulley 13 attached to the lower end of shaft 11. Central shaft 11 extends vertically through a bearing housing 14 which is bolted to floor 15 of outer tank wall 9 by bolts 16.

The upper end of shaft 11 screws tightly into a double bushing-like casting 17 having a circular flange 18 which flange is fastened to the floor 19 of the inner brush tank 10 by bolts 20. The upper section of double bushinglike casting 17 extending upwards inside brush tank 10 supports shaft 21 centrally and vertically in brush tank 10. Shaft 21 is fastened in the double bushing-like casting 17 by set screw 22. By that series of interconnections the rotation of shaft 11 by belt 12 and pulley 13 causes the shaft 21 and brush tank 10 to rotate together inside outer tank 9.

Mounted near the ends of central vertical shaft 21 are separate collars 23 with annular flanges around their outer edges. These annular flanges are on opposite faces of said collars so that said flanges extend vertically towards each other. The drawing shows both collars 23 broken away to reveal the flanges and how they hold the back of the central brushes 24 in place.

Brush 24 is bound along the inside or back edge with metal 25 so as to slide freely up and down in elongated collar 26 when either collar 23 is removed from shaft 21, thus permitting the vertical movement of brush 24. The back edge 25 of brush 24 slides up and down in U-channel 27 cut lengthwise in elongated collar 26 which surrounds shaft 21 and is fastened thereto by a set screw 28 or similar means.

The upper end of shaft 21 screws into cap 29 that holds the bristles of conically-shaped brush 30. Unlike my co-pending application the cap 29 does not rest on the upper collar 23.

It should be noted that the outer edge of brush 24 tapers slightly from the top to the bottom so that the longest bristles are at the bottom end of the brush. Although the preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated and described, it is within the scope of this invention to employ different shaped brushes to accomplish the same cleansing and scrubbing effects.

There are three U-shaped metal channels 31 screwed vertically to the inside wall of brush tank 10 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Brushes 32 like brushes 24 are bound along their back edges with metal 33 so as to slide freely up and down in channels 31. In FIG. 3 only three brushes 32 are shown and three brushes 24, which is the preferred design, however, it is within the scope of this invention to employ any desirable number of brushes attached to shaft 21 and any desirable number of brushes 32 attached to the inside wall of brush tank 10. The wall of brush tank 10 is about A the height of outer wall 9.

Attention is directed to the bending backward of the metal 33 holding the bristles of brush 32 so that it bends over the upper edge of brush tank 10. Also notice that the bristles of brush 32 extend upwardly at an ever-increasing angle and become longer than the horizontal bristles where the bend in the metal-backed brush occurs and along the bent back portion. That is to say, the innermost ends of the bristles of brush 32 end in a vertical alignment equidistant from shaft 21. It is this feature that is so effective in cleaning the lip-area of mugs and steins, also around the handles of same, when the mug or stein is inverted and plunged into the water. FIG. 2 shows how the upper end of brush 32 bends back over upper edge of brush tank 10 at an angle of 25 to 30 from the vertical.

Because the entire brush tank 10 revolves With shaft 11 as well as all the centrally-disposed brushes with shaft 21, it is necessary to have multiple circular holes 34 located selectively in the wall 10 of the brush tank in order that cleansing water and detergent contained in outer tank 9 will circulate in and out of brush tank 10. The number of such port holes is optional. The more holes the more agitated the water will become in brush tank 10 and the better cleansing of the glasses, mugs or steins.

There are also holes in the bottom 1 of brush tank 10 that increase the circulation of water between tank 9 and tank 10. These holes represented by 36 might be A inch in diameter while those represented by 37 might be about 7 of an inch in diameter. They are preferably located radially out from the center of brush tank 10 with the larger holes farthest from the center.

Besides increasing circulation of water between the outer and inner tanks, the various holes increase the agitation of the Water considerably. At the same time they allow all sediment and foreign particles to escape from brush tank 10 and thus away from the glasses, mugs, steins, etc., that are being washed and scrubbed, and to accumulate in the bottom of outer tank 9. The port holes 34 act to centrifuge sediment and foreign particles out of brush tank 10 and into outer tank 9.

The top rubber guard 38 serves to prevent breakage of glasses, mugs or steins being introduced into and withdrawn from the washer. It also is equipped with four rubber vanes 39 which are especially designed so as to cause a great turbulence of the water in brush tank 10 without splashing any water out of the opening of the washer. These vanes are located on the under side of top rubber guard 38 and are preferably located at 90 intervals around the circumference. Only two vanes 39 are visible in FIG. 2 because a third one is behind conicaltop brush 30 and the fourth vane is in the opposite direction and hence not included in the sectional view. The purpose of these vanes is to interrupt the rotation of the water within the washer and to deflect the outer and upper layers of the rotating water downward and inward so as to wash off the outer surface of the article being washed.

The rubber vanes have two slopes that meet in a contour edge below the surface of the circulating water. The slope of the vane that faces the on-coming circulating water is steeper, that is more nearly vertical than the opposite slope. It meets the circulating water degrees off of a right angle so as to deflect the circulating water into the centrally-disposed brushes. Also the slope of the face of the vane meeting the on-coming circulating water is also downward so that the water is also deflected downward and thereby eliminates any splashing of Water out of the opening of the washer.

Normally, the brush tank 10, vertical though bent backward slightly, brushes 32, vertical and tapered brushes 24, and conical brush 30 rotate counter-clockwise when looking down into the mouth of the washer as indicated in FIG. 3. Also, there is a decided improvement in the scrubbing action obtained when the tapered brushes 24 attached to shaft 21 are layed alongside the vertical and bent-backwards brushes 32 attached to the Wall of the brush tank 10, as shown in FIG. 3.

The brush assembly in the portable washer of this invention is designed to clean and scrub glasses having handles, such as a mug, stein, coffee cup or tea cup. The feature requirement is that the entire brush assembly be able to rotate Without jamming against the handle of the glass. For that reason the three brushes 32 are bent back into an angle from 25 degrees to 30 degrees away from the vertical center shaft 21. This bending permits the handles of glasses, mugs or cups to be passed by. And, of course, bending brushes 32 back requires that the bristles along the bend be longer than the bristles along the straight portion of the brush. By trimming this area of the brush longer than the balance or straight portion, very effective contact is made with the outside area of the glass being washed and the handle area.

What I claim as my invention:

1. A portable washer of glasses equipped with handles comprising an outer tank and a smaller inside brush tank with an assembly of centrally disposed brushes around a central shaft to scrub the inside of the glasses, and another set of brushes to scrub the outside of the glasses disposed vertically on the inside wall of said brush tank, said latter set of brushes having their upper ends bent back over the top edge of said brush tank, the bristles of said vertically disposed brushes extending horizontally toward said central shaft, but the bristles of said brushes around the bent upper ends extending at an ever-increasing angle above the horizontal bristles toward said central shaft, and all the bristles along the vertical and bent sections of said vertical brushes terminating the same dis tance from said central shaft.

2. A portable washer of glasses having handles comprising an outer tank and a smaller inside brush tank with an assembly of centrally disposed brushes around and on top of a central shaft to scrub the inside of the glasses, and another set of brushes to scrub the outside of the glasses disposed vertically on the inside wall of said brush tank, said latter set of brushes having their upper ends bent back over the top edge of said brush tank, the bristles of said vertically disposed brushes extending horizontally toward said central shaft, but the bristles of said brushes around the bent upper ends extending at an ever-increasing angle above the horizontal bristles toward said central shaft, and all the bristles along the vertical and bent sections of said vertical brushes terminating the same distance from said central shaft.

3. A portable washer for steins and mugs comprising an outer tank and a smaller inside brush tank with an assembly of centrally disposed brushes consisting of a conically-shaped brush on top of a central shaft and multiple vertical brushes with bristles extending radially and horizontally from said central shaft, and another set of multiple vertical brushes disposed on the inside wall of said brush tank with their upper ends bent back over the top edge of said brush tank, the bristles of said latter vertical brushes extending horizontally toward said central shaft, but the bristles of said brushes around the bent upper ends extending at an ever-increasing angle above the horizontal bristles toward said central shaft, and all the bristles along the vertical and bent sections of said vertical brushes terminating the same distance from said central shaft.

4. A portable washer for steins and mugs including in combination an outer water tank, an inner smaller brush tank, and a central spindle supporting an assembly of brushes and said brush tank, which spindle is the extension of a drive shaft that extends through the bottom of said outer tank and is rotated by external motor-driven means, said brush tank having multiple holes in its side Walls and its bottom to permit passage of sediment and food particles into said outer tank, said brush tank having multiple channels disposed generally vertically and equal distances from each other around the inside wall of said tank to hold a plurality of generally vertical brushes, said vertical brushes extending substantially above the top of said brush tank and such extending portion being bent back over the top edge of said tank, said vertical,

brushes having bristles that extend horizontally and radially in toward said central spindle up to the top of said brush tank and above that point where the brush bends back over the top edge of said tank, the bristles extend radially in towards said central spindle but at an everincreasing angle above the horizontal bristles, said assembly of brushes consisting of multiple vertical brushes arranged equally distant around said spindle and extending radially outward therefrom and a conically shaped brush on the top end of said central spindle.

5. A portable washer of glasses having handles comprising an outer tank and a smaller inside brush tank with a first set of centrally disposed brushes around and on top of a central shaft to scrub the inside of the glasses, a second set of brushes to scrub the outside of the glasses disposed generally vertically on the inside wall of said brush tank, the bristles of the lower portion of said second set of brushes extending substantially horizontally toward said central shaft, the bristles of the upper portion of said second set of brushes extending at an ever-increasing angle above the horizontal bristles toward said central shaft, and all the bristles of said second set of brushes terminating the same distance from said central shaft.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1885 Sebring 4/1924 Hahan 3/1930 Cave et a1. 2/ 1939 9/ 1941 9/1965 Gallo FOREIGN PATENTS 3/1952 Germany.

15 S. E. BECK, Assistant Examiner.

Markwood Nielsen 

4. A PORTABLE WASHER FOR STEINS AND MUGS INCLUDING IN COMBINATION AN OUTER WATER TANK, AN INNER SMALLER BRUSH TANK, AND A CENTRAL SPINDLE SUPPORTING AN ASSEMBLY OF BRUSHES AND SAID BRUSH TANK, WHICH SPINDLE IS THE EXTENSION OF A DRIVE SHAFT THAT EXTENDS THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF SAID OUTER TANK AND IS ROTATED BY EXTERNAL MOTOR-DRIVEN MEANS, SAID BRUSH TANK HAVING MULTIPLE HOLES IN ITS SIDE WALLS AND ITS BOTTOM TO PERMIT PASSAGE OF SEDIMENT AND FOOD PARTICLES INTO SAID OUTER TANK, SAID BRUSH TANK HAVING MULTIPLE CHANNELS DISPOSED GENERALLY VERTICALLY AND EQUAL DISTANCES FROM EACH OTHER AROUND THE INSIDE WALL OF SAID TANK TO HOLD A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY VERTICAL BRUSHES SAID VERTICAL BRUSHES EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE TOP OF SAID BRUSH TANK AND SUCH EXTENDING PORTION BEING BENT BACK OVER THE TOP EDGE OF SAID TANK, SAID VERTICAL BRUSHES HAVING BRISTLES THAT EXTEND HORIZONTALLY AND RADIALLY IN TOWARD SAID CENTRAL SPINDLE UP TO THE TOP OF SAID BRUSH TANK AND ABOVE THAT POINT WHERE THE BRUSH BENDS BACK OVER THE TOP EDGE OF SAID TANK, THE BRISTLES EXTEND RADIALLY IN TOWARDS SAID CENTRAL SPINDLE BUT AT AN EVERINCREASING ANGLE ABOVE THE HORIZONTAL BRISTLES, SAID ASSEMBLY OF BRUSHES CONSISTING OF MULTIPLE VERTICAL BRUSHES ARRANGED EQUALLY DISTANT AROUND SAID SPINDLE AND EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD THEREFROM AND A CONICALLY SHAPED BRUSH ON THE TOP END OF SAID CENTRAL SPINDLE. 